U.S. patent application number 17/402615 was filed with the patent office on 2022-02-24 for blade open-close device and electronic device.
The applicant listed for this patent is Nidec Copal Corporation. Invention is credited to Kenzo IMAI, Koji SAWANOBORI, Ryosuke USHIO, Nobuaki WATANABE.
Application Number | 20220057692 17/402615 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005827550 |
Filed Date | 2022-02-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220057692 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
USHIO; Ryosuke ; et
al. |
February 24, 2022 |
BLADE OPEN-CLOSE DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE
Abstract
A blade open-close device mountable on a module board including
a lens unit includes a base including peripheral walls adjacent to
the lens unit, a cover plate covering at least part of the base,
and a blade movable in a blade chamber between the cover plate and
a surface of the peripheral walls. A partition and the cover plate
each have an opening aligned with an optical axis of the lens unit.
The blade open-close device includes an actuator that moves the
blade between a closing position to cover the openings and an
opening position to uncover the openings. A distance from the
surface of the peripheral walls to a surface of the cover plate
opposite to the base along the optical axis is one fifth or less of
a total of a thickness of the module board and a height of the lens
unit measured along the optical axis.
Inventors: |
USHIO; Ryosuke; (Tokyo,
JP) ; IMAI; Kenzo; (Tokyo, JP) ; SAWANOBORI;
Koji; (Tokyo, JP) ; WATANABE; Nobuaki; (Tokyo,
JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Nidec Copal Corporation |
Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005827550 |
Appl. No.: |
17/402615 |
Filed: |
August 16, 2021 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G03B 11/043 20130101;
G06F 1/1686 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G03B 11/04 20060101
G03B011/04; G06F 1/16 20060101 G06F001/16 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 21, 2020 |
JP |
2020-140318 |
Claims
1. A blade open-close device mountable on a module board including
a lens unit, the device comprising: a base located on the module
board and including walls adjacent to the lens unit; a cover plate
covering at least part of the base and having an opening aligned
with an optical axis of the lens unit; a blade movable in a
direction perpendicular to the optical axis in a blade chamber
defined between the cover plate and an upper surface of the walls
of the base; and an actuator configured to move the blade between a
closing position to cover the opening and an opening position to
uncover the opening, wherein a distance from the upper surface of
the walls of the base to a surface of the cover plate opposite to
the base along the optical axis is one fifth or less of a total of
a thickness of the module board and a height of the lens unit
measured along the optical axis.
2. The blade open-close device according to claim 1, wherein the
actuator includes a flat U-shaped yoke including two arms, a coil
wound around one of the two arms of the yoke, a rotor magnet
rotatably located between the two arms of the yoke, and a lever
connected to the rotor magnet and including a connecting part
connected to the blade.
3. The blade open-close device according to claim 1, wherein the
blade open-close device is mounted on a surface of the module board
on which the lens unit is mounted.
4. The blade open-close device according to claim 3, wherein the
walls of the base surround the lens unit.
5. An electronic device, comprising: a module board; a lens unit
mounted on the module board; and the blade open-close device
according to claim 1.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority to Japanese
Application Number 2020-140318, filed Aug. 21, 2020, the disclosure
of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its
entirety.
BACKGROUND
Technical Field
[0002] The present invention relates to a blade open-close device
and an electronic device, and particularly, to a blade open-close
device for covering and uncovering an opening with a blade.
Description of the Background
[0003] Recent electronic devices, such as smartphones, smart
speakers, and drones, incorporate a camera. Such a camera typically
has a lens aperture constantly uncovered, or being constantly ready
for image capturing. In this state, the camera may be operated by a
malicious third party, possibly capturing images or videos
unintended by the user. Such images or videos can be used for
crime.
[0004] In particular, an electronic device incorporating a camera
is now often connected to a network such as the Internet. The
connected electronic device may be operated remotely by a malicious
program without being noticed by the user. When the electronic
device is operated remotely, image capturing may be performed
without being noticed by the user, possibly allowing the camera to
capture images or videos for transmission to external devices. For
privacy protection of the user, structures are awaited for
preventing image capturing with a camera as unintended by the
user.
[0005] Such structures for preventing image capturing with a camera
may include a known camera shutter that opens and closes a blade
between a lens and a subject (refer to, for example, Patent
Literature 1). However, the camera shutter may not fit in an
electronic device that is smaller and has a limited space for a
camera module. In particular, recent electronic devices tend to
incorporate a camera module to be smaller in the optical axis
direction of a lens, or in other words, to be thinner.
CITATION LIST
Patent Literature
[0006] Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application
Publication No. 2009-288327
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0007] In response to the above issue, one or more aspects of the
present invention are directed to a thin blade open-close device
incorporated in a limited space and an electronic device including
the blade open-close device.
[0008] A thin blade open-close device according to a first aspect
of the present invention can be incorporated in a limited space.
The blade open-close device is mountable on a module board
including a lens unit. The blade open-close device includes a base
located on the module board and including walls adjacent to the
lens unit and a cover plate covering at least part of the base. The
cover plate has an opening aligned with an optical axis of the lens
unit. The blade open-close device includes a blade movable in a
direction perpendicular to the optical axis in a blade chamber
defined between the cover plate and an upper surface of the walls
of the base and an actuator that moves the blade between a closing
position to cover the opening and an opening position to uncover
the opening. A distance from the upper surface of the walls of the
base to a surface of the cover plate opposite to the base along the
optical axis is one fifth or less of a total of a thickness of the
module board and a height of the lens unit measured along the
optical axis.
[0009] An electronic device according to a second aspect of the
present invention includes a module board, a lens unit mounted on
the module board, and the blade open-close device described
above.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a blade open-close device
according to one embodiment of the present invention, together with
a module board and a lens unit.
[0011] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the blade
open-close device in FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of
the blade open-close device in FIG. 1.
[0013] FIG. 4A is a schematic plan view of an actuator shown in
FIG. 2, showing its example operation.
[0014] FIG. 4B is a schematic plan view of the actuator shown in
FIG. 2, showing its example operation.
[0015] FIG. 5A is a schematic plan view of a blade at a position
moved by the actuator shown in FIG. 4A.
[0016] FIG. 5B is a schematic plan view of the blade at a position
moved by the actuator shown in FIG. 4B.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the blade
open-close device in FIG. 3.
[0018] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a laptop personal computer
as an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] A blade open-close device according to one or more
embodiments of the present invention will now be described in
detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. In FIGS. 1 to 7, the same or
corresponding components are given the same reference numerals, and
will not be described repeatedly. In FIGS. 1 to 7, the scale and
dimensions of each component may be exaggerated, or one or more
components may not be shown. Unless otherwise specified, the terms
such as first and second will be used simply to distinguish the
components and will not represent a specific order or sequence.
[0020] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a blade open-close device 1
according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an
exploded perspective view of the device, and FIG. 3 is a schematic
longitudinal cross-sectional view of the device. As shown in FIGS.
1 and 2, the blade open-close device 1 according to the present
embodiment is mounted on, for example, a camera module incorporated
in an electronic device, and more specifically, on a module board 2
on which a lens unit 3 is mounted. For ease of understanding, in
FIG. 3, some parts are shown simply or not shown, and the
dimensions of other parts are exaggerated. For ease of explanation
in the present embodiment, up or upward refers to the positive
Z-direction in FIG. 1, and down or downward refers to the negative
Z-direction.
[0021] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the blade open-close device 1
includes a base 10 attached to the module board 2, an actuator 20
located on the base 10, a partition 30 located opposite to the
module board 2 from the base 10, a cover plate 40 covering an upper
portion of the base 10, a blade 50 located between the cover plate
40 and the partition 30, and a partition 32 located between the
actuator 20 and the blade 50. The blade open-close device 1 is
mounted on the surface of the module board 2 on which the lens unit
3 is mounted.
[0022] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the base 10 has a substantially
rectangular accommodating space S accommodating the lens unit 3
mounted on the module board 2. The partition 30 has an opening 31.
The cover plate 40 has an opening 41. The openings 31 and 41 are
aligned with an optical axis P of the lens unit 3. In the present
embodiment, the partition 32 is separate from the partition 30
having the opening 31. However, the partition 30 having the opening
31 and the partition 32 may be integral as a single partition. In
another embodiment, the partition 30, the partition 32, or both may
be eliminated. When the partition 30 is eliminated, an aperture
(described later) is defined by the opening 41 in the cover plate
40.
[0023] The cover plate 40 is fastened to the base 10 with pins 42
and 43 together with, for example, the partitions 30 and 32. Rather
than with pins, the cover plate 40 may be fastened to the base 10
with, for example, screws.
[0024] The actuator 20 includes a yoke 21 formed from a magnetic
material, a coil base 22, a coil 23 wound around the yoke 21 and
the coil base 22, a rotor magnet 24 rotatably attached to a shaft
11 extending in the positive Z-direction from the base 10, and a
lever 25 connected to the rotor magnet. The yoke 21 in the present
embodiment is thin and flat in Z-direction. The yoke 21 is U-shaped
and includes two arms 21A and 21B. The coil 23 is wound around the
arm 21A. The rotor magnet 24 is located between the arms 21A and
21B of the yoke 21. The rotor magnet 24 includes a magnet having
different magnetic poles around the shaft 11. The lever 25 includes
a cylindrical engagement part 26 (connecting part) extending in the
positive Z-direction radially outside the rotor magnet 24.
[0025] The coil base 22 includes terminals 27 protruding in the
negative Y-direction. The ends of the coil 23 are wound around the
terminals 27. The ends of the coil 23 are fixed to the terminals 27
with, for example, solder joints 60 together with a metal terminal
plate 28 as shown in FIG. 1. The terminal plate 28 extends parallel
to an XZ plane and includes connectors 29 at its end adjacent to
the module board 2 (in the negative Z-direction). The connectors 29
are electrically connected to contacts 2A on the module board 2
with, for example, solder joints 61 as shown in FIG. 1. In this
manner, the coil 23 in the actuator 20 is electrically connected to
wiring (not shown) in the module board 2 with the terminal plate
28.
[0026] The blade 50 includes a base plate 52 having a cam groove 51
and a blade plate 53 attached to the base plate 52. The cam groove
51 extends in the negative Y-direction, gradually redirecting in
the positive X-direction. The cam groove 51 has a width in
X-direction slightly larger than the outer diameter of the
engagement part 26 of the lever 25 in the actuator 20. In the
present embodiment, the base plate 52 and the blade plate 53 are
separate, but may be integrated into the blade 50. In another
embodiment, the blade 50 may be movable without the cam groove
51.
[0027] The blade 50 is located between guides 12 extending in the
positive Z-direction from the edge of the base 10 in Y-direction
(refer to FIG. 2). The blade 50 is thus movable in X-direction
while being guided by the guides 12 of the base 10. More
specifically, the blade 50 is movable in X-direction in a blade
chamber defined between the cover plate 40 and the partitions 30
and 32.
[0028] The partition 30 has the opening 31 (aperture) that
determines the amount of light entering the lens unit 3. Thus, the
partition 30 may be referred to as an aperture blade. When the
partition 30 is eliminated, the opening 41 in the cover plate 40
functions as the aperture.
[0029] The partition 32 has an arc-shaped groove 33 along an arc
with the shaft 11 on the base 10 at the center. The arc-shaped
groove 33 has a width in the radial direction slightly larger than
the outer diameter of the engagement part 26 of the lever 25 in the
actuator 20. The engagement part 26 of the lever 25 is placed in
the cam groove 51 in the blade 50 through the arc-shaped groove 33
in the partition 32, and thus functions to connect to the blade 50.
The engagement part 26 of the lever 25 can thus move in the
arc-shaped groove 33 in the partition 32 along the arc with the
shaft 11 on the base 10 at the center, and can also move in the cam
groove 51 while engaging with the cam groove 51 in the blade 50.
The engagement part 26 of the lever 25 in the actuator 20 engages
with the cam groove 51 in the blade 50 to move the blade 50 in
X-direction as the engagement part 26 of the lever 25 in the
actuator 20 moves.
[0030] FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic plan views of the actuator 20,
each showing its example operation. In the actuator 20 in the
present embodiment, a current flows through the coil 23 in the
actuator 20 through the wiring of the module board 2, causing the
arms 21A and 21B of the yoke 21 to be magnetically polarized
(magnetized) oppositely to each other. The magnetic forces of the
arms 21A and 21B then attract and rotate the rotor magnet 24.
[0031] For example, when a current flows through the coil 23 in the
actuator 20 in one direction to cause the arms 21A and 21B of the
yoke 21 to be magnetically polarized or magnetized as shown in FIG.
4A, the magnetic poles of the arms 21A and 21B of the yoke 21
attract the respective opposite magnetic poles of the rotor magnet
24, thus rotating the rotor magnet 24 clockwise about the shaft 11.
At this time, the engagement part 26 of the lever 25, engaged with
the cam groove 51 in the blade 50, moves the blade 50 in the
negative X-direction to the position shown in FIG. 5A. The blade 50
at this position does not cover the opening 31 in the partition 32
and the opening 41 in the cover plate 40, thus leaving the openings
31 and 41 uncovered. This allows external light to directly enter
the lens in the lens unit 3 through the opening 31 in the partition
32 and the opening 41 in the cover plate 40, thus enabling image
capturing with the lens unit 3. The position of the rotor magnet 24
shown in FIG. 4A and the position of the blade 50 shown in FIG. 5A
are each hereafter referred to as an opening position.
[0032] When a current in a direction opposite to the direction of
the current in FIG. 4A flows through the coil 23 in the actuator 20
to cause the arms 21A and 21B of the yoke 21 to be magnetically
polarized as shown in FIG. 4B, the magnetic poles of the arms 21A
and 21B of the yoke 21 attract the respective opposite magnetic
poles of the rotor magnet 24, thus rotating the rotor magnet 24
counterclockwise about the shaft 11. At this time, the engagement
part 26 of the lever 25, engaged with the cam groove 51 in the
blade 50, moves the blade 50 in the positive X-direction to the
position shown in FIG. 5B. The blade 50 (blade plate 53) at this
position covers the opening 31 in the partition 32 and the opening
41 in the cover plate 40. More specifically, the blade 50 aligns
with the optical axis P of the lens unit 3, blocking light passing
through the opening 41 in the cover plate 40. The position of the
rotor magnet 24 shown in FIG. 4B and the position of the blade 50
shown in FIG. 5B each are hereafter referred to as a closing
position.
[0033] In this manner, the actuator 20 rotates the rotor magnet 24
between the closing position and the opening position with power
from the module board 2, thus enabling the blade 50 to move between
the closing position and the opening position with the engagement
part 26 of the lever 25.
[0034] The blade plate 53 formed from, for example, a material
opaque to light to be captured by the lens unit 3 (e.g., visible
light and infrared light) blocks light passing through the opening
41 in the cover plate 40 when the blade 50 is at the closing
position, preventing the light from reaching the lens unit 3. In
this state, the lens unit 3 in operation is not allowed to capture
images or videos. This prevents images or videos unintended by the
user from being obtained.
[0035] The blade plate 53 of the blade 50 may not fully block light
entering the lens unit 3 through the openings 41 and 31, and may
partially block light entering the lens unit 3. To partially block
light entering the lens unit 3, for example, the blade plate 53 may
be formed from a material having a low transmittance to light to be
captured by the lens unit 3 (e.g., visible light and infrared
light), may be colored, or may be patterned with irregularities or
holes (e.g., a reticulated or grid pattern and a concentric circle
pattern). This causes images or videos captured by the lens unit 3
to be partly unclear or invisible, thus preventing images or videos
unintended by the user from being obtained.
[0036] The blade plate 53 may have a predetermined optical effect
(e.g., a mosaic filter, scattering, and diffuse reflection) to
light entering the lens unit 3 through the openings 41 and 31. Such
a blade plate 53 also causes images or videos captured by the lens
unit 3 to be partly unclear or invisible, thus preventing images or
videos unintended by the user from being obtained.
[0037] In the present embodiment, the yoke 21 is shaped to attract
the rotor magnet 24 under the magnetic force from the rotor magnet
24 without any current flowing through the coil 23 in the actuator
20. More specifically, when a current flowing through the coil 23
in the actuator 20 is stopped in the state shown in FIG. 4A, the
rotor magnet 24 can remain at the opening position with its
magnetic force acting on the yoke 21. Similarly, when a current
flowing through the coil 23 in the actuator 20 is stopped in the
state shown in FIG. 4B, the rotor magnet 24 can remain at the
closing position with its magnetic force acting on the yoke 21.
[0038] In this manner, the yoke 21 can be shaped to prevent the
blade 50 from unintendedly moving from the opening position or the
closing position or from stopping between the opening position and
the closing position without any current flowing through the coil
23 in the actuator 20. The yoke 21 may be shaped to retain the
rotor magnet 24 at either the opening position or the closing
position. In particular, retaining the rotor magnet 24 at the
closing position causes the blade plate 53 of the blade 50 to cover
the openings 41 and 31 without any current flowing through the coil
23 in the actuator 20. This can prevent images or videos unintended
by the user from being obtained.
[0039] FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the blade
open-close device 1. As shown in FIG. 6, the base 10 includes
peripheral walls 13A, 13B, 13C, and 13D that are adjacent to and
surround the lens unit 3. The peripheral walls 13A, 13B, 13C, and
13D, the partition 30, and the module board 2 thus define the
accommodating space S accommodating the lens unit 3.
In FIG. 3, T.ltoreq.(H.sub.1+H.sub.2)/5 (1)
[0040] where T is the distance from an upper surface 13E of the
peripheral walls 13A, 13B, 13C, and 13D of the base 10 (in other
words, an inner surface 30A of the partition 30 adjacent to the
base 10) to a surface 40A of the cover plate 40 opposite to the
base 10 along the optical axis P (outer surface 40A of the cover
plate 40), H.sub.1 is the height of the lens unit 3 along the
optical axis P, and H.sub.2 is the thickness of the module board 2
along the optical axis P.
[0041] In one example, when the height H.sub.1 of the lens unit 3
is 1.0 mm and the thickness H.sub.2 of the module board 2 is 0 5
mm, the distance T from the inner surface 30A of the partition 30
to the outer surface 40A of the cover plate 40 is 0.3 mm or less.
In another example, when the height H.sub.1 of the lens unit 3 is
1.2 mm and the thickness H.sub.2 of the module board 2 is 0.3 mm,
the distance T from the inner surface 30A of the partition 30 to
the outer surface 40A of the cover plate 40 is 0.3 mm or less. The
thickness H.sub.2 of the module board 2 changes in accordance with
the number of wiring layers included in the board. The module board
2 can include, for example, four wiring layers or six wiring
layers. A total thickness Hs of the module board 2 and the blade
open-close device 1 is, for example, 2.5 mm When the partitions 30
and 32 are eliminated, the distance T may be a distance from the
upper surface 13E of the peripheral walls 13A, 13B, 13C, and 13D of
the base 10 to the outer surface 40A of the cover plate 40.
[0042] The blade open-close device 1 satisfying formula (1) has a
space for accommodating the blade 50 with a thickness that is
effectively reduced with respect to the height of a camera module
including the module board 2 and the lens unit 3. This reduces the
likelihood that the camera module cannot be incorporated in a
limited space such as in an electronic device due to the height of
the blade open-close device 1 in the optical axis direction.
[0043] When the blade 50 is at the closing position, the outer
surface of the blade plate 53 of the blade 50 is exposed outside
through the opening 41 in the cover plate 40. The outer surface of
the blade plate 53 may by colored with a highly visible color
(e.g., red) or may be designed with, for example, a highly visible
geometrical pattern (e.g., a star, a square, or a polygon), a logo,
or an illustration. The blade plate 53 having such an outer surface
with a highly visible color or design allows the user to easily
view the blade plate 53 being at the closing position and to easily
learn that the user is protected from unintended image or video
capturing.
[0044] Although the opening 41 in the cover plate 40 and the
opening 31 in the partition 30 are circular in the illustrated
embodiment, the openings 41 and 31 may not be circular, and may be
of any shape such as rectangular and elliptical.
[0045] Although the actuator 20 includes the flat U-shaped yoke 21
and the rotor magnet 24 in combination in the above embodiment, the
actuator 20 to be used is not limited to this structure, and may
have any structure that can move the blade 50 between the closing
position and the opening position.
[0046] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a laptop personal computer
100 as an example electronic device incorporating the above blade
open-close device 1. A lid 110 of the laptop personal computer 100
has a window 120 for a camera. The blade open-close device 1 is
incorporated in the laptop personal computer 100 with the lens unit
3 at a position corresponding to the window 120. This implements
the laptop personal computer 100 having the camera function.
[0047] Although the electronic device incorporating the blade
open-close device 1 is the laptop personal computer 100 in the
above example, the blade open-close device according to one or more
embodiments of the present invention may be used in many electronic
devices having the camera function, in addition to laptop personal
computers, such as smart speakers and home security cameras.
[0048] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been
described above, the present invention is not limited to the above
embodiments and may be modified variously within the scope of its
technical idea.
[0049] As described above, a thin blade open-close device according
to a first aspect of the present invention can be incorporated in a
limited space. The blade open-close device is mountable on a module
board including a lens unit. The blade open-close device includes a
base located on the module board and including walls adjacent to
the lens unit and a cover plate covering at least part of the base.
The cover plate has an opening aligned with an optical axis of the
lens unit. The blade open-close device includes a blade movable in
a direction perpendicular to the optical axis in a blade chamber
defined between the cover plate and an upper surface of the walls
of the base and an actuator that moves the blade between a closing
position to cover the opening and an opening position to uncover
the opening. A distance from the upper surface of the walls of the
base to a surface of the cover plate opposite to the base along the
optical axis is one fifth or less of the total of the thickness of
the module board and the height of the lens unit measured along the
optical axis.
[0050] The blade open-close device with the structure can thus have
a space for accommodating the blade with a thickness effectively
reduced with respect to the height of the camera module including
the module board and the lens unit. This reduces the likelihood
that the camera module cannot be incorporated in a limited space
such as in an electronic device due to the height of the blade
open-close device.
[0051] The actuator may include a flat U-shaped yoke including two
arms, a coil wound around one of the two arms of the yoke, a rotor
magnet rotatably located between the two arms of the yoke, and a
lever connected to the rotor magnet. The lever includes a
connecting part connected to the blade.
[0052] The blade open-close device may be mounted on a surface of
the module board on which the lens unit is mounted. The walls of
the base may surround the lens unit.
[0053] The actuator may retain the blade at least at one of the
opening position or the closing position without any current
flowing through the actuator.
[0054] The blade may at least partially block light entering the
lens unit through the opening to obstruct image capturing performed
by the lens unit. The blade may also have a predetermined optical
effect to light entering the lens unit through the opening to
obstruct image capturing with the lens unit. The blade may have an
outer surface having a visible color or design.
[0055] An electronic device according to a second aspect of the
present invention includes a module board, a lens unit mounted on
the module board, and the blade open-close device described
above.
* * * * *